PIA Sets Agenda For D.C. Conference

By Mark E. Ruquet

NU Online News Service, April 1, 4:02 p.m. EST?Members of an independent insurance agents group will be lobbying legislators in Washington, D.C. tomorrow with opposition to optional federal chartering, consumer privacy issues and natural disaster legislation among their top items of concern.

The effort comes as the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents holds its 20^th annual Federal Legislative Summit in the nation's capital.

Ted Besesparis, vice president of communications for the Alexandria, Va.-based group, said PIA has chosen three issues the association is focusing on during this session.

PIA says, in policy statements, that it is opposed to optional federal charters, largely because it would create a competing and conflicting federal-state system that, it argues, would be "counter productive to effective oversight of the insurance industry."

On consumer privacy issues legislators need to work at refining regulations to ensure "a more common, consistent approach" to privacy practices throughout the financial services industry.

On the third topic, natural disaster legislation, the association said it supports federal legislation that would make insurance available and affordable in catastrophe-prone areas, while working through the private market to achieve this goal.

On Thursday, Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., and the chief deputy majority whip in the House of Representatives, is scheduled to address agents during the summit's breakfast.

Mr. Besesparis said summaries of the association's focus issues would be made available to agents attending the meeting along with staff to answer questions agents might have.

Mr. Besesparis said many agents have made advance appointments to meet with their representatives before arriving in Washington.

For the evening's activities, PIA is holding a PIA Political Action Committee fundraiser dinner.

Mr. Besesparis said that he was not aware of any targets the PAC dinner was aiming to raise.

According to the Federal Elections Commission's Web site, in 2002, the PIAPAC distributed more than $99,000 to other committees. The major recipients of contributions were the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which received $7,500, and the National Republican Congressional Committee, which received $5,000.

PIA said the PAC supports candidates who are open to the association's views and "will give our positions a fair hearing and ultimately be supportive."

It said the PAC, which has increased over the years, is only part of an overall strategy by the association to advocate its interests. The PAC plays a supportive role in these strategies, the association added in a statement to the National Underwriter.

On Saturday, the association will hold its National Awards program in Arlington, Va., where Mike Pickens, president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, will address the association and participate in meetings of the association's national policy committee.

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PIA Sets Agenda For D.C. Conference

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